Meet The Seeker
by XxSiberianTigerxX
Summary: Is the newest addition to the BLU Team simply mad, or is something else going on? Does Scout have what it takes to stand his ground against the shadows that corrupt the imagination and take over the mind? Read on and find out! Rated T for violence, language, and insanity. Please note this has nothing to do with Harry Potter.
1. Meet The Seeker

_((Thanks to _KingdomOfThomond _for their help with the naming of this class! Copyright disclaimer: I own nothing but this fanfic. I don't own TF2. Thank you.))_

(Scene opens: On a train, the morning sun shines through the windows of the cars)

The young man wearing cargo pants and a blue hoodie brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes, absentmindedly running his finger down the thin scar that curved down the side of his face. He glanced at the letter in his hand and, grinning wickedly, tore it to shreds, which he tossed onto the floor. He flexed a finger on his right hand and a sharp blade slid out _((If you don't know what I mean by this, think of a hidden blade from Assassin's Creed))_. The man laughed in a barking sort of way, then procured from the backpack on the seat next to him a thin cloth, which he used to wipe the blade. As the train pulled into the station, the man rolled up his sleeve and pushed a button on the device wrapped around his forearm, retracting the blade. Tucking the cloth back into his pack, which he slung over one shoulder, he exited the train.

He looked up at the modern buildings that made up BLU headquarters, still smiling. He walked briskly up to the entrance, where he stopped. He cast his senses around the entrance, looking for the telltale patches of heat that marked the location of a member of BLU. He soon noticed a "hotspot" that was just outside the doors and appeared to be moving towards him, though he couldn't actually see anybody. The man waited until the figure was just behind him, then whirled around and grabbed at the air. He felt something brush his hand and snatched it, holding on until the BLU Spy uncloaked and attempted unsuccessfully to tug his arm out of the strange man's grasp. The man smiled evilly. "So," he hissed through gritted teeth, "trying to jump me, were you? Nice try, but you're going to have to do better than that." BLU Spy glared and tried to punch the man with his free hand, but the man dodged, slid out his hidden blade and held it to Spy's throat; Spy paled visibly and immediately ceased his struggle, frozen in fear. The man murmured, still grinning, "Not a nice thing to do, sneaking up on me like that... I think I'll take you with me as I tour your headquarters. And just so you know," he said, lowering his voice, "If you hadn't been the BLU Spy I would have slit your throat!" Spy awkwardly muttered, "Are... you... insane?" trying to keep his neck from touching the sharp object.

"You tell me," said the man, his smile faltering for a moment. "Oh, and by the way, I'm the new Seeker. If you're curious about the title, well, I sought you out, didn't I?" he began walking to the doors of the BLU base, laughing his barking laugh. Spy began to struggle more as they reached the doors, terrified of being humiliated in front of the other BLU members, but Seeker allowed the blade to make the tiniest mark on Spy's throat, which rendered him much more compliant. "That's better," said the man in what Spy now recognized to be a British accent. They walked through the hallways of BLU headquarters until they entered a room where most of the members of BLU were gathered (except for Sniper and Engineer). Seeker shoved Spy forward into the room, where he winced to see most of his teammates staring at him in surprise, shock, and for some (Scout) amusement. He tried to lunge towards Scout, who instinctively jumped back, but was caught in midair by the Seeker's hand. "Watch ze suit!" he snarled as he was dragged backwards. Scout sniggered obnoxiously, and the Seeker barked along with him. Medic was grinning now, and Demo began roaring with laughter, _ze insolent bastard_. Spy glared at them in turn, but that only seemed to make them laugh harder. He let out an undignified grunt as he attempted to break free, and that sent Medic into hysterics, _damn him_! "Now, now," said Seeker, "I bet you all are wondering who I am." Medic, Demo, and Scout nodded, still laughing too hard to speak. Even Pyro was laughing beneath that stupid mask of his; Soldier and Heavy were laughing their booming laughs... Spy was so caught up in his own embarrassment that he almost didn't notice what Seeker next said: "Maybe Spy here can introduce me." Spy's face must have clearly exhibited his fear and shame, because Medic and Scout continued to laugh ceaselessly. Seeker pulled both of Spy's arms behind his back, and Spy winced. The Seeker said, "Well, since he's not willing, I am the new Seeker. Spy, who are your little pals here?" Spy tried to kick the man's knee to knock him to the ground, but the man had his blade against his neck in a flash, ending the laughter (except for Demo, who apparently thought that this was even _more_ hilarious). Scout gaped, Soldier leaped to his feet, and Medic half-drew his bonesaw. _Thank God_, thought Spy, _someone is finally showing a _hint_ of concern_. He hurriedly introduced his teammates and didn't bother to conceal a sigh of relief when Seeker moved his hand away. Seeker laughed again and released Spy, who straightened his suit and glowered, fingering the thin mark on his neck. He shook his head slightly at Medic's questioning look, having been the center of attention too much for one day. Medic nodded, then, his curiosity getting the best of him, asked, "How did you manage to locate Spy? Surely he vas cloaked..." Seeker grinned and said, more seriously, "I am... heat-sensitive," he said, nodding in confirmation when everyone's eyes slid over to where Pyro was sitting. "See, everyone gives off body heat. I just... notice it. Through this, I am able to detect the locations of... enemies, though a sudden blast of intense heat could be... distracting," Medic nodded, intrigued, but trying not to embarrass Spy any more. Seeker retracted his hidden blade and brushed his hair out of his face again, drawing an irritated mutter from Soldier.

(A short while later...) When Sniper and Engineer entered the room, they were surprised to say the least. Spy had left, probably to sulk, but Medic and Scout were more than willing to describe in elaborate detail (and, from Scout, no small amount of exaggeration) the events that had transpired. Both Sniper and Engineer were equally impressed at Seeker's abilities, since both of them experienced "Spy problems". After the discussion moved on to other subjects, however, Seeker found himself a bit of an outcast, even among the "odd" members of BLU; they were not fully willing to trust someone who was so... unusual. He eventually excused himself to wander around the headquarters, learning where everything was without the assistance of a "guide".

He found an empty room that he liked, tucked away behind a stack of boxes, and he stowed his backpack in the corner. He had just sat down on the bed when a sudden burst of heat from the room in which the BLU team had been gathered made him flinch, and he hurried to investigate. He ran into the room to be greeted with maniacal laughter from Pyro, who raised his flamethrower into the air triumphantly. Spy uncloaked next to Pyro and laughed, then said mockingly, "I just wanted to see if zat would work." Seeker glared before storming back to his room, barely containing his rage. _Still,_ he thought, _I suppose that's what I get for shaming him like that._

((_Later, after a fairly disturbing session with Medic and a trip to the Respawn area with Engie_))

Seeker sat on the small bed in his room and sighed. He was infuriatingly bored with the headquarters and longed for a battle to take his mind off things. He didn't care about quotes, or "style", or even "standards". All he wanted was to see the fear on his enemy's face as he slit their throat, to smell the blood pouring from their necks, to feel their bodies tighten in shock, then go limp, and to hear their last breath leave their lungs. He didn't want to help, to assist, to defend... he wanted to kill. It was that simple. Was it crazy? Perhaps. He had found that accepting his mental sickness had allowed him to control it; now he could nurture the insanity, he could use it for his own purposes and he had even begun to like it, to enjoy the feeling of madness as it pulsed through his mind. He laughed at this thought, finding it no more disturbing than his reality, as he loosened the straps that held the hidden blade on his forearm.

He pulled off the weapon, revealing three thick scars on his wrist, each a reminder of how he had tried to escape... _but I succeeded in the end_, he thought, _I escaped without releasing myself, that was when the insanity first seeped into my mind, when I first realized my true purpose..__._ Looking up, he said, "Go on, you snooping bastard, have a good, long look. I know you're there." Spy appeared beside his bed, looking cross. "What's the matter, Frenchie? Angry? Don't be. It's not like I _chose_ to be heat-sensitive." Noticing Spy's curious look, his face darkened. "I'm not letting you in on any of my secrets," he said, "It's for everyone's good. Besides, nobody would believe me, not after what happened earlier."

"Not a very wise decision, zat I'll admit," said Spy.

"I can't help it. That's what being insane does to you. What do you long for, above all else? ...Don't answer that, it was rhetorical. I long to be feared. Above all else, above wanting to be liked, or respected, or even _understood_, I long to be feared. And that kind of ruins my chances of fitting in, wouldn't you say?" Seeker asked bitterly.

"Oui, it is not what I would call a... _likeable_ desire," Spy admitted.

"No. That it is not," Seeker got up and placed his hidden blade into his backpack, then looked at Spy in a weird way. He said, "I'm... sorry, about earlier... I know you are on my team and all... it's just... ah..."

"You're completely and utterly mad. I understand," Spy offered.

"Yeah... I'm actually struggling not to attack you, can you tell?" Seeker raised an eyebrow, and Spy noticed his hands were shaking. "In a way, yes. Perhaps it would be best if I left..." Seeker nodded slowly. "Yeah, that would probably be safest..."

And so Spy left, pausing once to glance behind him at the Seeker, who was looking at the floor. He had never seen someone so depressed and angry at the same time... _but I suppose that is part of being insane..._ He shook his head, cloaked, and walked off.

((_The next morning: Everyone except Seeker is gathered in one room, presumably the dining room, where Medic is talking to Demoman and Sniper_))

"I svear it upon my entire surgical career, zat man has not drunk an ounce of alcohol during his entire life!"

"You're joking, mate. He mus' be around thirty. Tha's just impossible!" Sniper exclaimed; even though he wasn't a heavy drinker, he had still consumed a number of alcoholic beverages. "I svear it! I don't understand it, but it is true," Medic said, shaking his head. "Actually, it makes a lot of sense, once you zhink about it," said Spy, materializing behind Medic. "Und vhy vould zat be?" asked Medic, somewhat irritated by Spy's sudden entrance. "Most people drink to forget, or to celebrate. Zat man has nothing to forget, and nothing to celebrate, either," Spy replied. "Vhy...?" "He is, quite simply, insane," said Spy. "Ah. Zat is actually a plausible explanation, alzhough..." Spy cut in, "He is currently stable because he has not only accepted his madness, but also has control over it... mostly. Every mental patient longs deeply for something, but nowadays zey long mostly for knowledge, which is-" "An impossible zing to fully acquire, as zere is no limit to knowledge," finished Medic. "Go on." "Seeker longs to be feared," Spy said simply. Medic paled. "Zhen he is an incredibly dangerous ally, his madness making him harder to control than Pyro and more unpredictable than Demo," he said softly.

"Oui, exactly... But it makes him an even more deadly enemy."

_((Next chapter coming soon! There will be a battle, so don't feel like I'm just ignoring the entire point of TF2 – that is, killing the other team – I'm just putting it on hold while I think if what to write. Please review if you have any ideas, I'm thinking about inventing a Japanese class – yes, Soldier will freak out, I'm fully aware of that – but I need ideas of what said class should do. I will, of course, give full credit. Thanks for reading!)_


	2. More Than Meets The Eye

((_This would've been released earlier, but I was taking a break from my computer – I nearly died of annoyance, rage, and frustration because I was writing on paper, which isn't so bad except for the fact that there isn't a "Backspace" key to fix all my mistakes – anyway, here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy_))

_ Oh god. This can't... I said... I told myself I wouldn't let this happen... I –_  
The man's scream was drowned out by the roar of the flames that consumed him.

A few seconds later, Seeker awoke at Respawn. For a moment, he was stunned, still in shock from the intensity of the blast of heat that had come from RED Pyro's flamethrower. He remembered dimly the Pyro's muffled laughter as the fire had overwhelmed him...

He shuddered, then shook his head, regaining his senses. _Later_, he thought, _I'll kill that bloody Pyro... but right now, I should focus on the task at hand – murdering anyone I see_. As he moved through the rooms surrounding Respawn, he grinned weakly, still shaken from his encounter.

As he rounded the corner, he spotted RED Medic, oblivious to his presence, with his Medi-Gun trained on the RED Heavy. _Now _there's _a neck I'd love to put a blade through_, thought Seeker with glee, his grin widening. He moved silently towards the Medic, using whatever he could as cover should the man turn around. _Spy's got a damn good job, sneaking about_, he thought, _Except he relies solely on a piece of metal. There's no skill in that._

By now Seeker was right behind Medic, where, unsheathing his hidden blade silently, he took one more step towards him before wrapping his left arm around the man's torso and using his blade to slit his throat. Then, he moved quickly to Medic's front in the hopes of seeing the look on his face.

He was not disappointed.

The most satisfying part of Medic's expression was the half-open mouth, but the wide eyes were admittedly a very nice touch. A tiny gasp escaped his lips before he crumpled to the ground. For a moment, Seeker stood still, enjoying the smell of fresh blood, before he wiped off the blade on a less-bloody area of Medic's coat and walked briskly away.

(_Later in the battle..._)

Seeker nodded to Sniper, then sheathed his hidden blade and stepped over the limp body of RED Spy, making sure to kick him angrily. _Damn that mask_, he thought,_ hiding his bloody face like that... Not worth the blade in his neck!_ As he walked away from Sniper's roost, his attention was drawn to an area on the other side of the map because of a flare of heat from a Pyro's flamethrower. _Good, maybe it's the RED one_, he thought as he made his way across the battlefield. When he realized what was going on, he almost laughed aloud. RED Heavy and Demoman were attempting to hold off BLU Soldier and Scout, who were shooting mercilessly. BLU Medic was healing them from a sheltered spot, but, regardless, it was unclear to Seeker why they weren't dead – until he noticed the REDs' singed clothing and BLU Pyro's body lying limp in a pool of fresh blood that was rapidly spreading.

Moving quickly, Seeker strode up behind RED Demo and jabbed his hidden blade roughly into the man's throat. The garbled cry that followed, though incredibly pleasing to the ear, alerted RED Heavy to Seeker's presence, and Seeker found himself at Respawn just in time to hear BLU's victory announced. He laughed happily, his only regret being that he hadn't managed to kill RED Pyro. _Next time..._

(After the battle – around 2:00)

As he sat on the bed, Seeker, grinning as usual, wiped off his hidden blade for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He could still remember the exact look on RED Medic's face. Fear. There was no other job where such an individual would be required. No other job where his desire could truly be met. Seeker laughed as he tucked the cloth into his backpack, then stopped as his senses picked up a figure approaching his room. Expecting Spy, he was quite surprised when he saw that it was Medic, but he didn't show it, instead grinning evilly.

_ Mein Gott,_ thought Medic as he saw the look on Seeker's face, _insanity may not be such a far-fetched explanation after all..._ Seeker, still smiling, asked, "So, what brings you here, Medic?"

Medic cautiously said, "Spy und I vere talking and he relayed an interesting piece of information to me, vun zat he said came from you yourself." Seeker waited for him to explain, although he already had a pretty good idea of what he meant. "Spy said zat you vere... mentally unstable."

"So, you came here, because you had to see for yourself," said Seeker, his grin widening.

"Ja. I had looked at your file of course – it is mein duty as a doctor – but I vasn't certain..."

"It's true," said Seeker matter-of-factly, rising from the bed. "But you know of the control I still possess. I am not likely to attack, at least not with the intention of murder or serious injury. The incident with Spy... he needed to be taught a lesson, it won't happen again."

"Ah... I see... I am glad to have cleared zings up," said Medic, shifting uncomfortably. Seeker, noticing the man's unease, raised an eyebrow. "Did you know I killed your RED Counterpart today?"

"I... I had heard zomezing of ze sort, ja..."

"I enjoyed it immensely," said Seeker, "You look exactly like him, you know, so... your face would look exactly as his would with a blade through your neck..." his hands shook slightly and he licked his lips as he caught the dim light on his hidden blade. The effect itself was not unlike Pyro's amidst a curtain of fire, so obsessed with his craft that it had consumed him, he was so alien, so dangerous, to everybody else, even to Medic, who dismissed most morals in favor of science, of experimentation...

Medic coughed nervously into his gloved hand before hurriedly leaving the room, flinching at the harsh, barking laughter that followed him. _He _is_ insane... it is possibly ze strangest case I have ever seen... but before an investigation, I must speak vith Spy._

(Around 4:00, in the Med Bay)

Medic adjusted his glasses. "Do you know what may have driven him to this level of insanity?" he asked Spy, still feeling uneasy.

"Non," replied Spy, "why would you ask me, zough? He wouldn't tell me anyzing."

"Vell, no," said Medic, "but surely you have a guess? I have never seen such a... broken mind. It is as if he is so insane zat he has descended into ze negative mind-state – if such a zhing could be measured on a number line, zhat is."

"After looking at the possibilities, zere is ze chance zat a paranormal creature or force was involved."

"Paranormal. Hm." Medic sounded skeptical, and slightly irritated.

"Ze desire to be feared is not zomezhing zat happens to ozzer mental patients. Ze 'negative' level of insanity zat Seeker possesses is not zomezhing zat happens to just anyone!" Spy said, his accent becoming slightly more pronounced.

"Serious trauma, caused by a large number of deaths at vun time..."

"And how did zese deaths come about?"

"...ah... terrorism?" Medic suggested, looking for an explanation.

"Now you are starting to sound like Soldier. Stop denying ze fact zat a paranormal force is ze most likely cause of Seeker's insanity. I know it sounds illogical. But I have seen what he can do. I... ran into his RED counterpart today. It is not an experience I would like to repeat. Medic, for ze safety of ze team, I urge you to find out the secrets of Lewis Wilson."

"Vhy do I even bother locking avay zose files, if you are just going to look over my shoulder at zem. Dummkopf," Medic said when Spy mentioned Seeker by name. He looked up, prepared for a retort from the Frenchman, but Spy was gone.

Outside the door to the Med Bay, Scout gaped, having overheard the entire exchange. _Who'm I s'posed ta tell first about Seeker bein' a crazy f*cking psychopath! I can't just tell everyone at once... Maybe hard-hat'll know what ta do? _Scout hurried through the BLU base, nearly running into the Cloaked BLU Spy, who shook his head at the boy's foolishness.

((_Sorry this chapter is shorter than the last one, I am finding it quite hard to write from so many _very different_ perspectives... Next chapter, I start on Seeker's life story, so that'll be fun. Also, Scout is going to be a total idiot (as usual). Rate and Review, I appreciate support or spam but I'll only respond to the former – and even then, not always. I am definitely enjoying the Seeker much more than the Spotter. Thanks for reading!_))


	3. Tension Builds

((_Oh, MAN am I enjoying this! I just love writing this all the time. I missed my computer for the 48 hours I spent without it! Anyway, here's the next chapter... First part starring... SCOUT!_))

Scout raced through the halls of BLU headquarters until he reached the door to Engineer's workroom. He pounded loudly on the door. Engineer opened it hurriedly and asked, "What's all th' racket about?"

"It's... I heard... Spy an' Medic... Seeker..." Scout was panting so hard it was hard to understand what he was saying. "Look 'ere, Scout, why dontcha come on in and you can tell me all about it."

Scout reluctantly entered the room, which smelled of metal and oil. "It's Seeker... I overheard Spy an' Medic... y'know we were wonderin' what was up, well, they said... They said he was f*ckin' INSANE!" Scout looked at Engie and seemed annoyed that he wasn't all worked up about it.

"Well, somethin' like that had'ta be th' matter with 'im," said Engineer, frowning. "Insanity kinda explains it... why'd ya come rushin' ta me about this anyway?"

"Figured... you'd know what ta do 'bout it," Scout said, still breathing heavily.

"Well, I don't think Seeker'd much appreciate it if'n we told everyone on th' team, now would he?"

"I dunno. I figured we should all know about it so we could make a f*ckin' plan, or somethin'," Scout suggested.

"Hmm. True, we might come up with a solution better if we all worked on it... Tell ya what. How 'bout me an' you go have a chat with Medic an' Spah, and then we can decide what tah do about it."

"Okay... I guess..." Scout muttered, annoyed at the fact that Engie hadn't agreed with him about telling everyone about Seeker. He followed the older man back out of the workroom with a short sigh.

(Around 10:00 pm)

All of the members of BLU (save Seeker, of course) were gathered in the Med Bay. Pyro was the only one who seemed bored, as though he thought this meeting was a waste of time, but the rest looked anxious. Scout, always wanting to be up and about, was pacing restlessly. Medic was tugging on his gloves. Spy decided that it was time to put an end to this standing about and to start working on solving this issue.

"Gentlemen," he said, "You should know why you are here. We need to decide what we should do to deal with Seeker. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

"I say we get rid of 'im," said Scout, "we don't need no psycho creep on the battlefield!"

"Really, mate? Is 'at so?" asked Sniper, "He saved my life today, don't know about you."

"Well, we always did fine without 'im..." Scout said.

"Well, we're doin' better with 'im," argued Sniper.

"Sniper's right," said Soldier. "Are you too much of an _imbecile_ to remember what he did on the battlefield today?" he barked at Scout.

"...No, I remember," Scout said reluctantly.

"I zink," Medic cut in, "zat ve need to determine ze cause of his insanity. But to do zis, one of us must ask. I zink ve should take a vote."

"I say it oughta be Spy," said Soldier gruffly. "He's the one who managed to get the most out of him last time." Spy nodded, but said nothing. Personally, he agreed with the overzealous American.

"I agree," said Sniper, "Spy's got as good a chance as any of us at getting' i' out of 'im,"

"Whatever..." Scout muttered, angry at the fact that nobody seemed to agree with him.

"Ja, zat seems reasonable," said Medic, relieved that nobody had suggested that _he_ go talk to Seeker.

"Then we've got a plan. Spy, tomorrow you go talk it out of him!" said Soldier.

The meeting was adjourned and all the members of BLU left for their rooms. Pyro lingered for a moment, looking at Medic oddly, before following the others out. Medic sat down and put his head in his hands. _I am beginning to sink zat zis Seeker is more trouble than he is vorth..._

(The next day...)

There was a cease-fire today, so Spy decided he might as well get this talk over with. He walked into Seeker's room confidently, even though he felt exposed without being Cloaked. Seeker was sitting on his bed looking at him; his jacket sleeves were rolled up and Spy saw that his hidden blade was not strapped to his right arm. "The rest of the team and I had a little chat yesterday," said Spy, feeling more sure of himself since Seeker was unarmed, "we talked about a topic zat intrigued us," he said, pausing to take a drag from his cigarette. "You."

Seeker shrugged. He was feeling helpless without his hidden blade, and helplessness was not a feeling that he enjoyed.

"And ze sing we were most interested in," Spy continued, "was your, shall we say, mental sickness."

Seeker raised an eyebrow, still remaining silent.

"We were wondering – Medic mostly, as he is especially interested in zis sort of thing – we were wondering how you became insane, or if you knew at all."

"I do know," Seeker said simply.

"And?"

"_And_ I do not wish to make it public."

"Demoman suggested zat 'Talkin' abou' it might make th' lad feel better'," Spy said, mimicking Demo's Scottish accent as only a Spy could.

"Nothing can make me feel better about what happened," Seeker said firmly, "Nothing can change the events that occurred in the past."

"Why won't you tell anyone about it?" asked Spy, genuinely confused.

"It's over and done!" shouted Seeker suddenly, startling Spy, "I killed it and it's gone! It can't hurt anyone else anymore, anyone... but me." He finished with a sniff, and Spy realized that the man was crying. "Leave me to my own mind, Spy. You wouldn't know what to make of it, nobody else would believe me. Just go."

Spy was leaving the room when he turned to look at Seeker. The man's shoulders shook with his muffled sobs, and to his surprise, Spy found an odd emotion welling up inside of him. Was it... pity?

Spy shook his head. He couldn't afford to feel pity. He left the room, but the image of Seeker's huddled figure remained fixed in his mind.

Another meeting was held that night, and everyone voted for Medic to try next.

(_A few days later, after a battle_)

Medic entered Seeker's room carefully. He was unsurprised to find Seeker waiting for him calmly, though the effect was still unsettling. Seeker grinned, but it wasn't as excited as it had been when he had first dragged Spy inside the building, there was a sadness behind it.

Seeker's grin faded slightly as he asked, "So, I suppose you're here to ask about my mental condition, am I right?"

"Ja, zhough I sink Spy is really more curious about it."

Seeker was silent for a moment. Medic tugged at a glove nervously.

"...Medic, has something taken everything you loved away from you, so that you didn't want to live anymore?" he said this with the ease of asking 'How are you?'

"Ah... not zat I remember, no..." Medic tugged at one glove.

Seeker frowned suddenly. "But see, you can fix things. I just hurt things. It's different, because sometimes there are things you can't hurt without damaging yourself, too." He turned away, and Medic knew he would get no more out of him. He left Seeker's room quickly, without looking back.

Another meeting was held that night.

"Medic and I have already talked with him. Someone else needs to go next."

Scout was the first to respond. "Hell no!" he said, "I'm not getting' wit'in 20 feet o' dat wacko!" Engineer nodded in agreement. Everyone stood around awkwardly for a minute; nobody was willing to try to reason with Seeker. Then a muffled noise was heard from the back of the group. Everyone turned to stare at Pyro, who shrugged calmly and said something only Medic understood.

"You... you vant to volunteer?"

((_I never said I'd _finish_ Seeker's life story – that's next chapter! Feel free to guess at Seeker's past, but I won't respond – I don't write like that! Yes, Pyro will play a big part in this fanfic – if you think my idea of who Pyro is (I'll probably reveal it eventually) is stupid, don't worry. I've got 200 other ideas about Pyro, I just decided to use this one to fit this story. Thanks for reading, please review!_))


	4. A Glance at the Past

((_Flashback Chapter – It's really just filler so I can provide a bit of information on Seeker's past and don't have to put this in the next chapter. I hated writing this (it was really, really hard for me), but it did help me get my thoughts in order. Review please, thanks for reading, and, without further ado... THE FLASHBACK CHAPTER!_))

_It had started with his older sister._

_He could not explain the change. She hadn't really been different, just... less. It was as if she had just faded away, so subtly that nobody even noticed she was gone._

_Except for him. He noticed, and he was afraid._

_After that, it moved on to his father. In this case, the exact opposite happened. He became angry and intense, to the point of violence. As time passed, he grew more so, until he was just... gone. Much like a dying star, he had raged ever brighter until he just burned out._

_That was simply too much for his mother. She took her own life, that the thing would not rob her of it._

_The boy was relocated to his aunt's home in Alaska. His aunt was stern, but kind, and she tried to make the always-nervous boy feel at home with her and her son – the boy's cousin, a red-haired fellow with eyes the same shade of green as the boy. How was she to know that the boy feared not for himself, but for them?_

_His cousin left soon after his arrival, he went south to Toronto, but it was too late, for the boy had seen the shadows stalking him..._

_For his aunt, it was quick. One day she was there, the next, gone._

_And the shadows came for him._

_It began one night, just a few days after the disappearance of his aunt. He looked out of the window and saw it standing quite far off, amidst the trees that surrounded the house. The next night, it was closer. The next, even closer. The boy never knew how long that went on, but one night, he found himself face-to-face with the creature – if such an expression could be used, since the creature's pale head lacked any actual facial features._

_The creature had reached out to him, and its pale fingers became long, shadowy loops and tendrils that he found himself ensnared in. He attempted to escape by breaking through the window, but the shards of glass cut his face and hands, slowing him, and he was caught by the thing's shadowy fingers. It called to him, promising him the impossible, and his fear was replaced by desire, desire for the past. He followed the thing deep into the forest, where it revealed its true form to him, it was a being of fear and evil and hate. Realizing the truth, the boy tried to flee, but the shadows dragged him back, back to the creature that had been the sole cause of the boy's fear for over three years..._

_He found himself running, running through shadows, the shadows that had become him, had taken root in his soul and turned him... he was running faster than the wind, but he knew he could never outrun himself._

_The time the boy spent linked with the creature was a strange time. At the beginning, he had relished the power he possessed, relished the fact that he was no longer afraid, and enjoyed the feeling of no longer having to worry about the thing. Its power was derived from raw human fear, and this, he knew, was the reason the creature had linked itself with him, because he was so afraid. It fed off of fear, it sought fear, it **was** fear. **He** **was fear**._

_Soon, though, he realized the truth. He was a monster, a being of evil. At night, he would seek out children and 'eat' their life-force for the warmth that it gave. He could feel their warmth from a ways off, and it called to him, and he came. He did the same to adults for the warmth, but they were never as satisfying as the children were._

_When he knew this, the entire truth about the thing he had become, he was angry and appalled._

_The creature did what it wanted with him, but that didn't render him completely helpless. He tried to kill it by killing himself, but the creature's shadowy fingers would wrap around his arm and bind his flesh together. He entered a period of deep sadness that nothing could rouse him from, but the creature seized control of him and continued to drain the life-force of countless humans, sending the boy – by now a man – deep inside himself. It was here that he discovered the answer. He was the creature, and it was him. Over the time it had spent with him, he had learned everything about it, he had grown to understand it, and once the man realized this, he knew how to defeat it._

_He found, deep within, a piece of himself that he had never seen before. He explored it, and realized that it was a dream, a vision, an idea. He nurtured this idea, he tended and took care of it, and deep within himself, it grew._

_As it grew, the man slowly gained control of himself, and the creature was driven out. By the power of the man's imagination, he had defeated the creature, he had become himself once more._

_But he was incomplete._

_The man had become used to the creature. He had grown to accept the feeling of being feared, had grown to accept the feeling of sucking the warmth from a human, had even grown to accept the shadows and the cold._

_Without it, he was just himself, and this loss was what drove him insane._

_He longed deeply to be feared as the creature once had. He longed to drain a human of its very soul. He found to his great horror that he could still sense the warmth that a person gave off, and for a long time, he denied himself the usage of this skill. It was a full year after his escape that he finally gave in to what he was, he accepted finally what he could do. He still longed for the creature's power, but he knew who he was, and he was tolerant of that._

((_That was a challenge! Next chapter will NOT be like this one! __Also, when I reread this a few days after writing it (I try to always do that), _I_ was scared! I hope you like this as much as I do!_))


	5. Shadows

((_There's much more excitement in this chapter! If you've got a good guess at Seeker's past, good for you, but I'm not going to go all out and just tell you. Thanks for reading, review please._))

Seeker stopped. Bullets, rockets, and grenades whizzed past him, but he didn't so much as blink. He was frozen, staring across the battlefield at the tall, shadowy figure that might've been glaring at him, had it possessed any sort of eyes.

Scout noticed Seeker's odd behavior and attempted to draw his attention back to the battle the best way he could think of.

"The hell are you doing, you stupid f*ck!"

To his surprise and frustration, Seeker paid him absolutely no attention. Curious, Scout followed his gaze to the odd shadowy figure. At first glance, it was looking directly at Seeker, but when Scout looked more closely, he gasped. The thing was staring at him.

Scout looked at Seeker in horror, but what he saw didn't reassure him in the slightest. Seeker was looking at him with an expression of surprise, sadness, and empathy. Scout knew that look. It was the look someone gave you when they knew something too terrible to describe was about to happen.

Scout shuddered.

A look like that was not pleasant coming from a madman.

(_After the battle..._)

Scout was in his room, pacing. He didn't want to tell the rest of the team about the events that had occurred earlier, but he was terrified beyond reason that the creature would return. Muttering curses, he continued to pace anxiously. Turning towards the doorway, he froze when he saw a tall figure, its face masked in shadow. In a blind panic, Scout jumped at the thing, screaming bloody murder, but found himself pinned against the wall with a hand clamped over his mouth.

"Shh!" Seeker hissed harshly, taking his hand away, "It's only me!"

Scout relaxed instantly and said, "I thought you was dat... dat _thing_."

Seeker's dark expression changed briefly to a sad smile. "No. I'm not. Heh." He suddenly looked serious again and said, "But it isn't gone, it's still... here. We need to gather the team. Can you bring everyone down to the Med Bay?"

Scout didn't move. His mouth was agape and he looked at Seeker blankly.

Seeker sighed, then pulled his hand back and slapped Scout hard across his face. The boy blinked, muttered something thickly and nodded, then ran out of the room. Once he was gone, Seeker slumped against the doorway with a small sigh, running his fingers through his hair. Part of him had longed to act as the shadowy figure, to terrify Scout even more, to become feared as he once had been... For the first time in four years, he had resisted that feeling; he had put aside his own need for that of another. He grinned weakly, then headed for the Med Bay, determined to set things right for good.

(_In the Med Bay, a few minutes later..._)

"Seeker, it is high time zat you told us everyzing," Spy said calmly, lit cigarette in hand. He placed it in his mouth and tried to look as intimidating as he possibly could.

"I'm sorry," Seeker said, sighing sadly. "I should have told you sooner... It began when I was only twelve, but it didn't start with me. It began with my older sister..."

In this manner, Seeker told the members of BLU everything about his past, beginning with his older sister and ending with what had happened on the battlefield.

"...So, are you satisfied? I doubt any of you believe me..." he laughed bitterly, and it was true, the BLUs looked at him with disbelief plastered all over their faces. Scout was the first to respond, saying, "_I'm_ not sure I believe dat, an' I f*ckin' _saw_ the damn thing!"

Spy said, "If you don't mind my asking, what is zis creature called? ...If it even has a name, zat is..."

Seeker shook his head. "It has a name," he said, "but speaking it aloud is... dangerous, in this situation. If - _when_ we make it through this, I'll tell you."

Spy nodded. "Are you _certain-_" he began, but was cut off by a quiet, muffled sound from Pyro; everyone turned to stare at the masked man, who stood there silently. Nobody would've believed he had said anything, if it hadn't been for what he did next.

He raised a gloved hand to his face and slowly removed his mask.

((_Ooh, big ol' cliffhanger there! So sorry for making you wait. I've got a great plan for Pyro! A brief word of advice: The cake is a lie – and if someone promises cookies, Backstab them ASAP. Thank you._))


	6. No Turning Back

((_I am so glad I got a account... Thanks for reading, please review, eat a sandvich. Oh, and I watched the Meet The Pyro video. I was disappointed. This narrows down so many great ideas of what Pyro really is. Now that we know he/she is just insane… it kind of ruins all the potential Pyro had. I am not going to adapt my story to fit 'Pyroland'. I am _probably_ (almost definitely) never going to write a story that has anything to do with the video. Sorry to those of you who want me to._))

A collective gasp could be heard from every other member of BLU, then silence. Everyone simply stared at Pyro, who stood calmly, smiling sadly at Seeker. A loud 'clink' pierced the silence as Demoman let his bottle of Scrumpy drop from his hand, Medic did not even blink as Archimedes landed on his shoulder, and Spy's cigarette fell from his open mouth.

Seeker was frozen for a minute, then something in his mind clicked.

"A... Ash?" he stammered; a flicker of recognition lit up his face.

"Hey, Lewis," Pyro said calmly, "Long time, no see."

Predictably, Scout was first to regain his senses. "Ya... ya _know_ dis guy?"

Spy was next to speak, but his normal, calm demeanor was gone, replaced by shock. "What... what is ze meaning of zis?"

"I... you... but I saw it following you... how did you..." Seeker looked confused and the tiniest bit betrayed.

"Much the same way you did," Pyro replied nonchalantly, "but… quicker."

"Wha..." Scout gaped at the pair.

Seeker smiled weakly, still staring, shocked, at Pyro.

"Pyro, I sink zat you have some explaining to do..." Medic said faintly, coming back to reality.

One by one, the members of BLU awoke from their shock-induced stupors and demanded answers. Once all of the BLUs were roused and ready, Pyro said to them, "I guess I do owe you an apology and an explanation..."

Seeker, now grinning, said, "Let me handle the easy part: Pyro – Ash – is the cousin I described to you earlier. I thought that the... creature had killed him, but... I guess... I guess I was wrong." Turning to Pyro, he asked, "What happened after you left for Toronto?"

Pyro said, "Well, I noticed the thing's presence, which was a start, but I think what really saved me was the research I did on it. I discovered its name, its origins, its power... and its weakness. I learned, within the span of but a few days, how to overcome it. And I did, but not until I had felt it, learned what it really was..." his voice trailed off and he took a few quick, shallow breaths. "I think that I had the same longing as you did," he continued, gesturing to Seeker, "y'know, to be feared, but afterwards, instead of becoming 'heat-sensitive', as you put it, the exact opposite happened. So I found an interest in fire. The... time I spent under its control couldn't have been as long as yours, but..." again he stopped, unable to carry on.

Seeker nodded, understanding. His eyes shone with happiness and hope. For a moment, all of the members of BLU just stood, watching as Seeker and Pyro shared a silent but obvious empathy, a connection that had stemmed from something that had wanted only to drive them apart.

But it could not last.

Seeker looked up at last and said, "I'd love to do some more catching up, but right now, we've other matters to attend to." Pyro nodded in agreement. "Scout," Seeker continued, "I'm not sure Ash - Pyro - and I can defeat that thing again, but we can help you do it. To start with, you need to think how to kill it, not drive it out. I don't know how to do that." Seeker sighed. "I thought I did, but I guess not. Also, whatever you do, if it tells you that everything will be okay if you follow it, DON'T FOLLOW IT. Is that clear?"

Scout nodded vigorously.

"It will try everything in its power to break you so that it can enter the gaping hole in your mind." Seeker looked proud at the dramatic statement for a moment before continuing, "But you can't let it. You have to think of something, _anything_, that will keep you anchored to this reality."

Scout nodded again. Spy and Engineer exchanged worried looks, and Heavy hovered protectively over Medic, who held Archimedes protectively in his hands.

Seeker sighed. "I don't think there is anything else we can do but wait, here, until it shows up. And Soldier," he added after some thought, "It can't be injured by weapons. Put that bloody rocket launcher away, please."

Soldier looked for a moment as if he would protest, but instead he grudgingly set the weapon down in a corner.

The ten mercenaries settled in, prepared to wait for the shadowy creature to show itself.

It didn't take long before Scout was complaining. "I can't believe dis," he said, "It take some creepy, weirdo guy to show up for Pyro to show his f*ckin' face? What if it hadn't shown up?"

"Then…. you'd never know who I was," Pyro replied from across the room, where he was casually playing with a lighter and watching the small amount of light it gave off flicker and dance.

"I don't get it," Scout continued, "Was it really _dat hard_ to show us who ya were?"

"Was it really necessary for Lewi- um, Seeker - to torment Spy on the first day? We enjoy being feared. Would you rather I hold a blade to your neck?"

"…No," Scout admitted. Pyro grinned. "Exactly."

"So… when's this guy gonna show his face?" Scout asked.

"Never, he doesn't have one," said Pyro, chuckling.

"You know what I meant!"

"It's not something you can predict. He could show up at any time," Pyro said.

"Great. Just f*ckin' great."

"Stop complaining, boy," said Spy, Uncloaking. "Would you prefer it if it appeared right now?"

"I wanna get dis over with," Scout said.

"You know, the rest of the team might not even be able to see it, myself included," Seeker had been lost in thought, and the others were surprised to hear him.

"What? You mean, I might be the only one who can f*ckin' see it?"

"Exactly. But, it might show up as one of us. It might appear to you, but in reality, it could be anyone in this room, any one of us…" this idea had never presented itself to Seeker, but now that he thought about it, that might be its plan - having Scout kill his own team-mates and then revealing the truth to him, driving him insane… Seeker shuddered at the thought. He was lucky that nothing of that sort had happened to him.

"So… I might attack anyone, if I thought it was the faceless guy?" Scout asked. "But won't they Respawn? And, wait a sec, I can't even hurt them! How's dat work?"

"You will be able to hurt them," Seeker said, "And there won't be a Respawn."

"And why the hell not!" Scout said.

"Because in your mind, you aren't attacking your teammates. You are attacking it. You will want to hurt it, to kill it. You will want it to suffer, you will want it to die, you will want it to die and never come back. That will be your reality, and that will be the reality. Imagination has more power than you know, and the shadows have the power to manipulate it."

Oddly enough, nobody was really surprised by the ominous fact - either that, or they were having trouble processing it. An uncomfortable silence settled over the ten members of BLU, one that was broken by yet another complaint from the youngest class.

"Jeez, d'ya _hafta_ breathe so damn loud?"

"Scout, zis is an all-time low for you - whining about Pyro's _breathing_," Spy's voice, however annoyed he tried to make it, clearly betrayed his exhaustion.

"It's the suit," Pyro replied, "the asbestos - messes with the lungs."

"Shouldn't you Respawn, like, perfect?" Scout asked, ignoring Spy.

"Too damaged even for that," Pyro said.

"Hmph. You are lucky you don't have cancer," Medic muttered. Pyro grinned. "_That_," he said, "Actually _is_ prevented by the Respawn."

"As I said - lucky."

"Okay! You answered my freakin' question! Now - shut the hell up!" Scout waved an arm.

"Look who's talking," Pyro said with a grin. Spy snorted.

"Fuck you," Scout said half-heartedly. Everyone could tell that the argument was just an attempt to release the almost unbearable tension that was slowly but surely threatening to smother the room's inhabitants.

"So, what do you think?" Engineer asked Sniper. The two didn't have the chance to chat much, mostly because they never seemed to be at the same place at the same time.

"'Bout Pyro? Can't tell whether I should fear 'im or like 'im. 'E certainly _seems_ pretty… innocent." Sniper shook his head. He wasn't really sure what to make of the whole situation, and a part of him - a _small_ part - wanted to start a rant. They trusted Seeker and Pyro almost instantly, whereas they hadn't trusted him or Spy for almost a week after they'd met… it didn't seem right.

"I figure he ain't a bad fella, but… I get the feelin' he's crazier than Seeker," Engineer said with as suspicious a glance as he could muster beneath his work goggles.

"Pyro… is spark in shadows. Brightens room, da?" The men started, they hadn't noticed Heavy listening in on their conversation. "But… even little spark turn into big fire," he continued solemnly.

"I couldn't agree more," Engineer said, and Sniper nodded silently.

((_Ok, so I lied. I wanted to add some suspense, so I wrote this. I'M SO SORRY! NEXT CHAPTER, I PROMISE! Oh, if you see any errors, feel free to take a leaf out of Soldier's book: correct me! TELL ME if I'm doing anything wrong! Thanks!_))


	7. Smoke and Torchlight

((_Well, here it is. If you've already lost interest, can't say I blame you. But this is the action-y chapter. So please, please, tell me something that'll make me want to continue this. Oh, turns out I actually _can _make this story reference to Pyroland, so... yeah, I'm just a big ol' liar. So sorry. I hate lying, it's so... Spy-like. And I don't like Spies. Why is this chapter called Smoke and Torchlight? I have no idea!_))

* * *

It was late, almost midnight, when it happened. At first, all was still, except for the ten pairs of eyes that looked around the room. Then, without warning, Scout stood bolt upright and launched himself at an unsuspecting Soldier.

"What do you think you're doing?" Soldier yelled as he tried to fend off Scout's rapid blows.

"If you don't get off me right now, I will hack you to bits!" he continued to shout, groping for his shovel.

"No, don't! Look at his eyes!" Seeker said, knocking the shovel away from Soldier's outstretched hands. Soldier managed to thrust Scout off of him, with the help of Heavy, and realized that Scout's irises were as black as the pupils, cold and cruel.

"What the HELL is the matter with him?" Soldier bellowed. Heavy was restraining Scout with both hands.

"Can't you tell? He thinks you're _it_! That means it's nearby… Scout! Can you hear me?" Seeker moved in front of Scout, and the boy's eyes turned a shade lighter, then darkened once more. He struggled against Heavy's grip with renewed vigor, and Seeker swore violently.

"It's trying to turn him against us!" he said (as if the team didn't know that already), "We have to get through to him! Everyone, try to get his attention, try to bring him back to this reality!"

"And 'ow are we supposed to accomplish zat?" Spy asked snidely.

"I don't know, shout things at him? _Something_ has to wrench him out of _this_ state." Seeker finished with a sharp glare at the Spy, who shrugged and lit yet another cigarette.

"Y'mean… Scout! Snap out of it, lad!…?" Demoman half-asked, half yelled.

"Yeah, that might work," Seeker said, then added, "Scout, don't... don't listen to it!" For a moment afterwards, he paused, a confused look on his face. Was that… _fear_ he had heard on his own voice? But… he had not heard himself afraid since the day it... the day... As he pondered this, the rest of the BLU team tried to bring the boy back to his senses, but had no such luck.

"Get your head on straight, recruit! We need you in this war!" Soldier bellowed.

"Little baby man is not good in head!" Heavy said, still holding him back.

"_I _can't be ze fastest man on ze BLU team!" Medic said, gesturing to himself.

"Give 'em th' what-for, lad!" Demoman raised his bottle of Scrumpy into the air.

"Whose bat could I steal with you gone?" Spy asked.

"I've seen you fight; you fight to WIN! So FIGHT! FOR AMERICA!"

"Vos zat last part _really_ necessary?" Medic asked Spy.

"For Monsieur Soldier? Oui."

"Oi don' think 'e can even _talk_ wi'out addin' an America 'r two," Sniper commented, and despite the grim circumstances, Spy snorted.

"Guys, look!" Pyro interrupted, pointing. "Look at his eyes!" Sure enough, Scout's eyes were now an odd color that could best be described as a deep navy blue. He had ceased his struggle, and instead was standing perfectly still with a bemused look on his face.

"I have an idea," Pyro said, "Medic, play along. Hey, Soldier, did you know Medic's a Nazi?"

"I vos _not-"_

_"Shh!_ I said _play along_!" Pyro hissed.

"It's more of an insult zan you vould zhink..."

"Medic. Please? For Scout."

Medic sighed, turned to Soldier, and said, "Sure, I am a Nazi."

"I _knew_ it! Nazi swine; I'll kill you!"

"Ja, ja… 'Heil Hitler' und all zat nonsense…" Medic's distaste was obvious to all but Soldier, who leaped at him with his arms outstretched and a war cry erupting from his open mouth. Medic darted out of the way and the two became engrossed in this game of cat and mouse that would –hopefully – not end in an overly violent act of patriotism.

Meanwhile, Seeker was struck with a brilliant idea.

"Scout- he likes baseball, right?"

Spy snorted. "Zat is ze understatement of ze century."

"Yeah yeah, save the attitude for the kid's mother," Seeker shot back at him. Sniper and Medic giggled like a couple of schoolgirls - even though Medic was caught in a _very_ painful headlock - and even Engineer allowed himself a small smile.

"Wha... zat was ze _enemy_ Scout's mother!" Spy said, "How did you even know about zat?"

"Well, as I recall, Medic and I had a _great_ conversation during my... examination," Seeker replied with a grin, "but anyway..." he walked in front of Scout, noting with relief that his eyes were nearly their usual shade of blue.

"Scout," he began, "World Series, Red Sox at Yankees; Yankees winning six to three. Bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded, two outs, full count. What are you going to do?" Scout's eyes paled and his body went rigid. "Come on! You're up! What are you going to do?" Seeker urged. His voice rose in desperation and, summoning the tiny piece of an idea that had saved him years ago from the shadows, he reached out and laid his hand softly upon the boy's shoulder. The silence that followed could only have lasted a few moments, but to the gathered BLUs it seemed like years.

Finally, Scout fell to his knees, and Seeker knelt beside him. Quietly, almost too quietly to be heard, came two words from the boy's mouth; two words that almost immediately broke the overwhelming tension and even managed to separate Medic and Soldier.

"Home... run..."  
Then he collapsed onto the floor.

* * *

Seeker and Medic hoisted Scout onto a nearby operating table. Medic immediately pulled over the ceiling-mounted Medigun and fixed its powerful beam on Scout.

"The best thing he can do now is rest," Seeker said softly, "We should let him be." He turned away, then added, "Heavy, you should stay with Medic, in case it... in case he flips out. Everyone else..." he trudged out of the room with a small sigh.

Naturally, a very awkward silence followed.

"Well, Ah'm off," Demoman said with a shrug. He walked away and was followed by Sniper and Engineer; the latter mumbled, "Take care of him, Doc." before exiting.

Spy Cloaked and presumably left, leaving Pyro, Soldier, Medic, and Heavy.

"Um, well, I guess... I'll go then," Pyro said, picking up his mask and taking his leave.

"Herr Soldier, is zere a reason you are staying behind?" Medic asked; his voice had a slight edge to it.

"I... uh, well..." his face was scrunched up as if it pained him to talk. Medic raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, waiting for Soldier to continue. "I must, um, apologize for my earlier misconduct. You're... a, ah, worthy member of the BLU team..." _even if you are a Nazi,_ he thought as he looked away, embarrassed. "And so is Scout, so... just... don't let him die or anything, because then we would, um, be less of a team, ah, without him." he looked as though he wanted to say more, but instead he simply picked up his rocket launcher and walked away.

Medic stared after him, perplexed. This was the closest the helmet-head had ever come to expressing any form of compassion, and to be honest, Medic wasn't sure he had enjoyed it. When Soldier was worried, you knew the situation couldn't be good.

* * *

Seeker angrily pulled off his hidden blade and threw the device onto his bed. He strode over to the small window and looked out over the battlefield and at the sky, which was dotted with countless, tiny specks of light. _They may be bright, but they're still surrounded by darkness_, he thought grimly. _And they'll all die, one day_. The thought reminded him of his father, but he pushed that thought out of his mind quickly. _I wonder how Pyro's doing? _he asked himself. _Probably better than I am... but then, people change, I suppose_... He frowned. The thoughts churning inside his head were overwhelming, and he finally resorted to talking to himself – something he actually had done quite often, in the past – to sort them out.

"What do I feel?" he began. _Start simple._

"_Envy, and fear, and anger, and frustration..._" he answered.

"What do I envy?"

"_Pyro,"_ he replied, to his surprise.

"Why?"

"_I'm just the crazy one, the one they give those looks, the half-pity, half-fear ones. Even bloody Medic thinks I'm off the deep end."_

"Am I?"

"_Perhaps... but so is Pyro. And just look at the warm reception they gave him. And they treat me like the elder of the two. I'm younger than he is! Can't they see-"_

"Stop. I'm getting angry." he took a deep breath. "What do I fear?"

"_Not myself, but for them..."_

"Why?"

"_They're like family. Pyro _is _family. Look how 'family' turned out last time."_

"What am I angry at?"

"_Everything."_

There was no reply, and Seeker sighed. He'd even managed to scare away himself. Lying down on the bed, he told himself that it would be better tomorrow. The thought had always comforted him before, but now...

It was a very, very long time before he finally managed to fall asleep.

* * *

Pyro glared at the hole in his wall. He had covered it with a blank piece of paper, but that had since been reduced to ashes. Blank pieces of paper were better, because it didn't feel like you were destroying someone's work when you burned them. He knew he shouldn't have kicked through the plaster – the throbbing pain in his ankle didn't let him forget easily – but he was so frustrated, with everything. With Scout, with Seeker, with the shadowy thing... and the cold. Always the cold. It never went away, not even when he was surrounded by his flames. The flames weren't the warmth he _really _longed for, this he knew, but they were a start. They were a decent substitute, but they would never amount to the real warmth that he didn't think he'd ever feel again.

_Never again_.

He couldn't believe how easily everyone had rushed to help Scout. What had his family done for him? Nothing. And the mercs weren't even Scout's actual family. What had Seeker done, so many years ago?Nothing. He had known, he could see the shadows... but he hadn't helped, he had just looked up at him with those scared green eyes.

Pyro's scowl lessened slightly when he realized. _I'll never see those eyes again. The scared ones. It'll never be the same._

_Never again._

Seeker didn't know. His team didn't know, either, except for Medic, and he'd sworn not to speak of it. They didn't know what he had to go through, when he was first hired by Builder's League United.

_And I'm keeping it that way, _he told himself.

He could feel himself getting angrier and angrier. Who was he most angry at? Probably Scout, just because of the unfairness of it all. Scout had lost nothing, whereas he... he had lost everything. That was why he had kicked the wall.

He had shoved his foot right through it, ignoring the pain because no matter how much his foot – or any other limb, for that matter – hurt, it would never affect him as much as the hurt he felt inside.

He had thrown his mask to the floor, then picked it up gently, staring into the blank eyes. With a sigh, he wondered whether taking it off had been a good idea. It may have been necessary for him to take it off at some point, but was it a _good_ thing? He didn't know. All he did know was that he would never reveal himself to anyone again.

_Never again._

* * *

((_So how was it? In the next chapter, I'll probably have Seeker interrogate Scout about what happened from his POV. So yeah, that means the action isn't over yet, because I have to describe something creepy and dark in elaborate detail. Oh, and Pyro is totally serious about not telling anyone anything. Plus he's completely insane._))


End file.
